Cobblers boss Wilder: Dons may make changes, but they won’t be weakened

Jeremy Casey

Milton Keynes Dons are set to send a much-changed team to Sixfields for Saturday’s FA Cup third round clash with the Cobblers, but boss Chris Wilder isn’t expecting the Sky Bet Championship team to be weakened in any way.

Karl Robinson has confirmed that he will be shaking up his team as the relegation-threatened Dons face Burnley in a crucial league game at stadium:mk next Tuesday.

It could be that MK make as many as six changes to the starting line-up that drew 1-1 at Leeds United last weekend, but Wilder doesn’t believe that will lessen their threat in any way.

He believes Dons will play in the same manner no matter the personnel, and the fact they may field players keen to impress could even give them an edge.

Asked if it was difficult to prepare to face a team that makes so many changes to its regular line-up, Wilder said: “We know all about the Milton Keynes players, and we don’t think there will be any unbelievable surprises.

“Sometimes on the flip side, you are giving players an opportunity to play football, and they will take their chances.

“So if Milton Keynes do make changes, I look through the list of players they have got and they have some really good players.

“Whoever plays, whatever Karl Robinson chooses to do, they all fit in to the way they play.

“The systems they play, as they have always done, is very technical and of a very high quality.

“They are a footballing side with great movement and really good technical players, and tactically they are very, very good.

“They have a squad that their players fit into that system, and sometimes it is a little bit easier when you play against the team that has been playing week in, week out, than one where players come in and are given an opportunity.

“I have to say that if I am a player for MK Dons, and I get a chance on Saturday, and the next week they are playing a Brighton or a Middlesbrough away, they will be desperate to play well and keep their shirt, so it works both ways.”